Capelin

Capelin is a small pelagic fish species found in the North Atlantic and Arctic regions. The main commercial stocks in the Northeast Atlantic are found around Iceland, East Greenland, Jan Mayen, and in the Barents Sea.

Capelin is before all known for its roe, which is widely used in the production of roe based spreads and masago. Females with high roe content are considered a delicacy in Asia, where roe content and maturity determine quality. Male capelin are commonly used for smoking and frying in Eastern Europe. Capelin also plays a significant role in fishmeal and oil production, and it is sold as feed for dolphins and zoos around the world.

The Iceland-East Greenland-Jan Mayen stock is shared mainly between Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Norway, with Iceland playing the dominant role in this stock, while the Barents Sea stock is shared mainly between Norway and Russia.

Capelin sizes are often estimated by count per kilogram, or PPK, which stands for “pieces per kilo.”